Record Number Of Americans Have Given Up Looking For Work

KHQ.COM - U.S. private employers have recorded 11 consecutive months of job gains, yet the number of people who are so discouraged that they have given up searching for work stands at an all-time high.

Friday's employment report is expected to show the pace of payroll growth accelerated last month after a disappointing showing in November. However, consumers' assessment of the job market deteriorated in December, according to the Conference Board's latest consumer confidence survey.

This disconnect is symptomatic of the state of the labor market. Yes, it is recovering, but at a pace that can hardly keep up with population growth, let alone quickly bring down the 9.8 percent unemployment rate.

Private employment increased by an average of 106,000 per month through November. At that rate, it would take more than 6 years just to replace the jobs lost during the latest recession.

There is reason to believe hiring will pick up in 2011.

Many economists have raised economic growth forecasts, in part because of a tax deal that keeps in place lower rates enacted under President George W. Bush, and planned job cuts are down 60 percent from a year ago.

However, that may not make job hunting much easier, said John Challenger, chief executive of job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas in Chicago.

"The job market could be even more competitive as improving job prospects entice people who abandoned their job searches out of frustration to re-enter the labor pool," he said.

The labor pool looks like it has sprung a leak. In a civilian labor force 154-million strong, only 64.5 percent were either working or looking for a job in November, a rate that matched October as the lowest since the early 1980s.

If workers come pouring back into the labor market more quickly than employers want to hire, the jobless rate will rise. The Labor Department counts people as unemployed only if they are actively looking for work, so those discouraged workers -- nearly 1.3 million of them as of November -- are excluded.

A look at the gender breakdown offers some signs that the dropout rate could stay high even if hiring improves.

Nearly two-thirds of the discouraged workers were men, perhaps a reflection of sharp declines in male-dominated industries such as construction and manufacturing, where jobs are expected to remain scarce.

Ethan Harris, an economist with Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, said the economic healing process will be faster for women than for men, in part because women are more likely to go to college and obtain the skills needed to find a job.

Among 18- to 24-year-olds, about 41 percent were enrolled in college or graduate school, according to Census data. Broken down by gender, 45.3 percent of women in that age group were enrolled, compared with just 36.7 percent of men.

STALL SPEED

The slow-healing labor market arguably poses the biggest threat to U.S. economic recovery and the biggest headache for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Bernanke said in early December it would take four to five years for the unemployment rate to come down to what he called more "normal" levels of around 5 percent to 6 percent.

He is scheduled to testify on monetary and fiscal policy before the Senate Budget Committee on Friday, one hour after the employment report is released. He no doubt will face questions on what more can be done to speed up the recovery.

Bernanke and his fellow Fed officials think economic growth will come in around 3 percent to 3.6 percent in 2011, which would be a step up from 2010's expected 2.6 percent rate.

Andrew Busch, a currency and public policy strategist at BMO Capital Markets, said he remains optimistic about the U.S. economy's 2011 prospects. But he also has compiled a list of reasons why growth might fall short of expectations.

The potential trouble spots include a renewed housing slump, tax hikes from budget-pinched states and a congressional battle over whether to raise the debt ceiling to allow the Treasury Department to borrow more.

KHQ.COM - The National Council for Home Safety and Security has released the safest cities in Washington for 2018... and Spokane did not impress. To determine the order of the ranking the Council used data on the number of reported violent crimes and property crimes for every thousand people and also reviewed the most recent FBI Uniform Crime report. Spokane ranked almost dead last coming in at number 79 (there were only 80 cities on the list).

KHQ.COM - The National Council for Home Safety and Security has released the safest cities in Washington for 2018... and Spokane did not impress. To determine the order of the ranking the Council used data on the number of reported violent crimes and property crimes for every thousand people and also reviewed the most recent FBI Uniform Crime report. Spokane ranked almost dead last coming in at number 79 (there were only 80 cities on the list).

KENT, Wash. - Kent police said they arrested a man Wednesday morning who was seen on surveillance video early Tuesday breaking into a bikini barista stand and abducting the barista at knifepoint before trying to rape her outside. The arrest was made after investigators received multiple tips identifying the suspect.

KENT, Wash. - Kent police said they arrested a man Wednesday morning who was seen on surveillance video early Tuesday breaking into a bikini barista stand and abducting the barista at knifepoint before trying to rape her outside. The arrest was made after investigators received multiple tips identifying the suspect.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - A two-month investigation into criminal activity at the Red Top Motel in Spokane Valley resulted in a massive raid and the arrest of 8 people early Tuesday morning. The Red Top Motel has had more than 100 calls for service since the beginning of the year, with many of those calls resulting in the arrest of known criminals who commonly traffic in drugs and stolen property.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - A two-month investigation into criminal activity at the Red Top Motel in Spokane Valley resulted in a massive raid and the arrest of 8 people early Tuesday morning. The Red Top Motel has had more than 100 calls for service since the beginning of the year, with many of those calls resulting in the arrest of known criminals who commonly traffic in drugs and stolen property.

SPOKANE, Wash. - The two accused of a string of purse snatchings over the weekend appeared in court Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors said they’re planning on filing more charges against them after getting word that one of the victims might not walk again due to her injuries. Police say Katie Kinney and Trystan Clark were arrested for the purse snatchings. One of their victims included 75-year-old Kathy Kohlieber. She’s in the hospital for a broken pelvis....

SPOKANE, Wash. - The two accused of a string of purse snatchings over the weekend appeared in court Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors said they’re planning on filing more charges against them after getting word that one of the victims might not walk again due to her injuries. Police say Katie Kinney and Trystan Clark were arrested for the purse snatchings. One of their victims included 75-year-old Kathy Kohlieber. She’s in the hospital for a broken pelvis....

SPOKANE, Wash. - Randall and Jill Kimberling didn’t think it would happen to their child. But on February 4 their four-year-old son, Levi, started to fill ill. “We were the parents who looked at him and said ‘that wouldn’t happen to our child. He’s super healthy and super energetic’,” said Randall. “To watch him lay there and not move is hard.” By February 5, Levi’s fever reached 99 degrees.

SPOKANE, Wash. - Randall and Jill Kimberling didn’t think it would happen to their child. But on February 4 their four-year-old son, Levi, started to fill ill. “We were the parents who looked at him and said ‘that wouldn’t happen to our child. He’s super healthy and super energetic’,” said Randall. “To watch him lay there and not move is hard.” By February 5, Levi’s fever reached 99 degrees.

KHQ.COM - When you party with Jay-Z, just make sure you don't get stuck with the bill. During a night out in Manhattan, he reportedly racked up a tab totaling $91,135 (tip included) at one bar! How much of that was a tip? $11,100! Which means his server Dayhana is probably the most grateful the rapper chose to celebrate at the Playroom Lounge in NYC.

KHQ.COM - When you party with Jay-Z, just make sure you don't get stuck with the bill. During a night out in Manhattan, he reportedly racked up a tab totaling $91,135 (tip included) at one bar! How much of that was a tip? $11,100! Which means his server Dayhana is probably the most grateful the rapper chose to celebrate at the Playroom Lounge in NYC.